This study aims to investigate the diversity of species and assessing the availability of woodfuel plants used in rural areas by Koulango and Lobi populations on Eastern periphery of Comoé National Park. Two surveys were conducted in ten villages: a house-to-house interview and an individual walk-in-the woods interview with some informants. Frequency of citation use value were used to estimate the local knowledge of woodfuel plants. Floristic inventory based on random plot sampling method was applied on 200 small squares. A qualitative analysis through the households has showed that firewood was the fuel most used in households. Among the useful species, 6 plants were the most use species by both local populations. According to plants availability, in Comoé National Park, juvenile individual of 12 plants such as Berlinia grandiflora, Burkea africana and Vitellaria paradoxa were the most abundant species. Adult individual of plants were the most abundant species. In rural area, 8 plants like Daniellia oliveri, and Vitellaria paradoxa were the most abundant species. Annona senegalensis, Saba senegalensis and Vitellaria paradoxa were the 3 most abundant species. However, juvenile individual and adult individual of 16 plants such as Bombax costatum Margaritaria discoidea and Raphia sudanica were very rare in both areas (CNP and rural area).
The study pointed out the importance of use value as tool to select the species which conservation must be emphasized in the management plans to meet not only the need of the populations but also to improve the conservation statute of the species. Finally, this study raises the fact that there is an urgent need to develop methods for a sustainable use of these plants from Eastern periphery of Comoé National Park.